


You're the Best, Shepard

by Emma_Trevelyan



Series: Alexandra Shepard's Modern Life [2]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: AU, Caretaking, Domestic, F/M, Fluff, Modern AU, Yes Alex is a Stoner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-02
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-29 13:44:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5129798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emma_Trevelyan/pseuds/Emma_Trevelyan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex learns she really is the most qualified to handle Kaidan's care, whatever he needs</p><p>Rated Teen for blatant recreational drug use (Marijuana)</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're the Best, Shepard

Alexandra Shepard loved music almost as much as she loved espresso, chocolate, and beds piled with fluffy pillows and comforters. When she was home alone (and since Ashley had started seeing that guy what’s-his-name, that was pretty common) she liked to crank her stereo with her favorite CDs and jam along while she did housework.

One rainy November evening, Alex was doing her dishes while contemplating what she would do for dinner. She and Ash were notorious for having no groceries in the house (Kaidan had commented on that fact more than once) and she was debating whether she wanted hot wings or possibly Polish food when her phone blared at her.

She turned down her music and looked at the caller ID, trying to put a damper on her enthusiasm before she answered.

“Hey, Kaidan!” she said brightly.

There was a pause, and Kaidan’s voice came out strained on the other end; “Hey, Shepard. You have plans tonight?”

“Not that I know of,” Alex answered, her enthusiasm waning a bit. “Why?”

“I was wondering if I could come over to your place for a bit,” Kaidan sighed. “My place is… a little chaotic right now.”

That was code for _my roommate is driving me crazy send help._ Alex smiled; “Sure, Kaidan. You know you can come over any time.”

“Thanks,” his voice was so grateful. “I’ll see you in an hour?”

“Bring a change of clothes,” Alex insisted. “Spend the night.”

“I don’t want to impose, Shepard. I know you like your space.”

“Porpoise poop,” Alex shot back, earning an adorable giggle from Kaidan. She reminded herself to thank her Grandma for that one. “We both have tomorrow off and I want to spend the night with my boyfriend.”

“All right, twist my arm why don’t you,” he acquiesced. “You want me to bring dinner?”

“No, I got it,” Alex replied, still concerned at the strain in his voice. “So, an hour?”

“An hour,” he replied. “See you.”

He hung up. Alex pulled her lip between her teeth… she recognized that strained quality to his voice. She hated he still got his migraines—she used to get them something fierce before they changed her meds and she knew how miserable they could be—and she immediately took it upon herself to make her apartment a relaxation zone.

She texted Ashley to let her know Kaidan was spending the night—a courtesy the girls both agreed on once they were both in relationships—and set to work. She finished her dishes quickly and called for dinner from this great place. It served comfort food almost exclusively—buttery and cheesy carbs, usually. It was Kaidan’s favorite. She turned off the music and switched the overhead lights for her floor lamp and a few unscented candles. She closed her big blinds and turned on her white noise machine—Kaidan liked the ‘Lakeshore’ set; said it reminded him of home—as low as it would go. Her food arrived about 5 minutes before Kaidan walked in the door.

“Hey, baby,” she said softly, pulling him into a tight embrace. She ran her fingers through the front part of his hair, and he leaned into the touch with a groan.

“How did you know?” he grumbled.

“You had your ‘headache’ voice on,” she answered, taking his bag from his slack fingers.

“I have a headache voice?”

“Well, I can tell,” Alex pressed a lingering kiss to his temple. “You hungry? I ordered from ‘Frank’s.’”

“Alex, you didn’t have to.”

“I know,” she pulled him towards the counter, where the Styrofoam containers heaped over with huge portions of food awaited. “I wanted to. And I was hungry anyway.”

“Thanks, Alex,” he repeated. He pulled the container towards him and picked at his dinner.

They ate in comfortable silence; she kept catching him staring at her. She melted a little bit inside; even when he stopped and hissed in pain, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Do you have anything to take?” she asked softly. “Is it light? Sound? Smells?”

“A little bit of each,” he sighed. “And yeah, I have a prescription, but it tends to knock me out. I don’t want to sleep, Alex.”

He rested her hand on top of his, flexing her fingers in a reassuring gesture. She let her gaze wander, settling on the coffee table, the little wooden box she kept for… special occasions. A thought occurred to her.

“Kaidan?” she began softly. “Do they drug test where you work?”

“No,” he replied, quirking his eyebrow. “If they did, I’d have been fired years ago. My meds are narcotic.”

“Good,” she patted his hand and retrieved her lighter from a drawer. “Come sit with me. This will help, I promise.”

“Alex?” he followed her to the couch, but his expression was guarded. “What are you doing?”

Alex pulled out a small baggie of strong-smelling pot and her rolling papers; “Sit. You and I are going to have a smoke—me for my nerves and you for your migraine.”

“Alex, how do you even know this will help?” he gingerly pressed into the couch cushions, resting his head on the back.

“Because I used to get hella migraines after my surgery,” she answered. “And this was the only thing that helped and didn’t turn me into a zombie. Trust me?”

Kaidan sighed; “All right. I trust you, Alex.”

“Good,” she pointed to the spot on the floor in front of her. “Sit.”

“I’m already sitting, Shepard,” he teased.

“Trust me?”

“You’re demanding a lot of trust from me tonight, woman,” he quipped. Belying his words, he settled in front of her, his back against her knees. His head was practically in her lap. “Is this to your liking?”

Alex pulled the lid off one of her candles and balanced it on her leg; “Yes. This will help, I promise.”

Alex finished rolling the joint and placed it between her lips. She had to click her lighter a few times, but she took a long drag. She felt the burn in her chest and suppressed the cough; green hits were brutal and this stuff packed a serious punch. She held in the puff, handing the joint and lighter to Kaidan.

“You know how?” she teased around her held breath.

He snorted; “I’ve tangled with recreational drugs before, Shepard. I _was_ a kid at one point, you know.”

Alex suppressed a laugh, blowing the blue smoke out in a long puff. She was already feeling the fuzzy sensation at the back of her skull. She watched Kaidan’s big hands intently while he cupped the flame and pulled in a long drag. He didn’t even flinch.

_That shouldn’t turn me on as much as it does._

They passed the joint back and forth a few times; Kaidan was visibly relaxing against her legs. Alex put the withered roach into the candle lid—she didn’t have a clamp and she was dangerously close to burning her fingers—and sank her hands into Kaidan’s hair. She rubbed his scalp in long, smooth strokes; she marveled at how thick his hair really was as the curls came unraveled under her ministrations.

“How’re you feeling?” she asked. She didn’t feel impaired, but she certainly felt light and giddy.

“Stoned,” he sighed. His voice was low and rough; a stab of desire rushed through her chest as he tipped his head back into her hands. “And whatever you’re doing right now feels amazing.”

“You never let me touch your hair, so you must be high,” she laughed. Everything was funny to her right now.

“No, I don’t when Ashley’s around because it turns me on.”

Alex stopped short; “Excuse me?”

“My scalp,” he said frankly, letting those whiskey-brown eyes slide closed. He hummed with contentment, low in his throat. Alex pressed her thighs together. “It’s an erogenous zone for me.”

“Is that so?” Alex purred. “Well then, I know what we’re doing after this.”

“Hmmm… You’re the best, Shepard.”

She giggled, moving her fingers to the base of his neck; “How’s the headache?”

“Gone,” he sighed. “Guess you were right.”

“I usually am,” she replied.

“Remind me to reward you for it when you’re done with that,” he gestured vaguely in the direction of her hands in his hair. “And when I’ve sobered a bit. Whatever that was, it was stronger than what I did in college.”

“Remind me to stock up for next time,” Alex teased, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“Will do,” he tilted his chin up more, trapping her hands under his head; his eyes were wide and expectant. “Kiss me?”

“With pleasure, Kaidan.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, pot helps with migraines. Trust me on this.


End file.
